Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on her maiden visit to Wayanad as its newly elected MP, said “our fight is for the basic values of the Constitution”.

Accompanied by her brother, Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha who previously represented Wayanad, Priyanka expressed gratitude to the people of the constituency for their unwavering support.

The siblings reaffirmed their commitment to the constituency’s development, especially in light of the July 30 landslides which claimed over 420 lives. Priyanka assured the people that they would continue working to restore normalcy.

On Saturday, several areas of Nilambur in Malappuram district, which comes under the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, sported a festive look because of Priyanka and Rahul’s two-day visit. During their public meetings in Mukkam, Karulai and Wandoor, the duo referred to the “divisive and hate-filled politics being portrayed by the BJP at the Centre”.

Responding to criticism from the BJP that she would be a “visitor” to Wayanad, given her likely base in New Delhi, Priyanka said: “Truly, from the bottom of my heart, I thank each one of you for what you have given me. The value of what you have given me lies in your love and trust. I am in Parliament for you. Your voice will be heard, your problems will be addressed. It is your beliefs, your values, your hopes and aspirations that I will stand for, from now until the end,” she said.

On the political challenges Wayanad is facing, Priyanka said: “In many ways, the political challenges that we face today are like the landslide. There are no rules. There is no explanation. The ruling party, the BJP, knows no democratic norms that we normally expect in a democracy.”

At a reception meeting at Karulai in Nilambur, Priyanka said her fight was for upholding the constitutional values.

Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “shielding” businessman Gautam Adani despite the charges brought against him by the department of justice in the US, Rahul said: “Modi says Adani is going to be treated differently than other Indians and it doesn’t matter if he (Adani) has been indicted in the US and has been called a criminal. In India, he will not be prosecuted.”